Division of Student Affairs Health and Well-Being staff attend the 2024 SWCHA Partners Conference

DSA News
January 25, 2024

The Division of Student Affairs is proud to announce Chris Dawe and Brittani Clarkson's participation in the 2024 Southwest College Health Association (SWCHA) Partners Conference. The Southwest College Health Association (SWCHA) is a regional affiliate of the American College Health Association, dedicated to advancing college health in the Southwest region through collaboration, education, advocacy, and support.

The 2024 SWCHA Partners Conference, held in Dallas Fort Worth, Texas from January 10th – January 12th, brought together a diverse group of attendees with a focus on creating connections, sharing best practices, and networking among regional college health colleagues. Chris Dawe, assistant vice president for student affairs - Health and Wellbeing, took center stage as the opening presenter at the conference. His presentation, titled "The Evolution of Wellbeing and Health Promoting Universities," explored the dynamic history and foundations of university health promotion initiatives. Drawing from his wealth of experience, Dawe provided valuable insights into the evolving role of universities in promoting wellbeing and health among students, faculty, staff, and our communities. “As someone still relatively new to the Southwest Region, this event was a great opportunity for me to meet and continue building relationships with colleagues in Texas and surrounding state institutions. We share some common operating environments, and it was a great opportunity to learn how others are building student health within our legislative and cultural dynamics. Some great colleagues that I can continue to learn from and with.” said Dawe.

Brittani Clarkson, assistant director of wellness programs and the President-Elect of SWCHA, displayed her expertise during the conference's break-out sessions. She presented on the crucial topic of "Restorative Practices for Health and Well-being," offering innovative perspectives on fostering holistic wellness within a university setting. Also, Clarkson led round table discussions on "Collaborative Programming," emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in enhancing health and well-being programs on college campuses. As a member of the SWCHA Executive and conference planning team, Clarkson’s leadership was on display in helping to pull together an outstanding event. Clarkson said, “SWCHA’s 2024 Regional Partners Conference provided a great time of networking and information sharing opportunities for attendees from beginning to end. The environment felt very close-knit and fostered meaningful connections, easy idea exchanges, and collaborative relationship building within an accessible and localized setting. I highly recommend those who are working in or are simply interested in building their networks within college health to attend next year’s conference.”

The SWCHA Partners Conference provided an ideal platform for Chris Dawe and Brittani Clarkson to engage with their peers from across the region. By participating in various sessions and networking opportunities, they not only shared the Division of Student Affairs success stories but also gained valuable insights into the best practices and trends in college health to bring back home to the University of Houston.

The participation of Chris Dawe and Brittani Clarkson at the SWCHA Partners Conference underscores the University of Houston's unwavering commitment to prioritizing the health and wellbeing of its student community. As an institutional member of the American College Health Association, the university continues to stay at the forefront of advancements in promoting a healthy and thriving campus environment.

Written by Germaine Washington, Director of Marketing and Communications – Division of Student Affairs